'I Like Long Walks in the Jungle'

The Web 2.0 thing might have gone on long enough. While it's all very weird and wonderful that people can have enriching relationships through social networking and other virtual means ... we've got to draw a line, people. Because now a bunch of hairy apes are getting into the act.

And I'm not talking about that guy with the gold chains that keeps bugging you on MySpace, either. I'm talking about actual freaking orangutans.

Scientists in the Netherlands are now using video cameras connected over the Internet to allow Dutch and Indonesian orangutans to "meet" and interact virtually. One of the objectives of this bit of digital monkeyshines is to see if the two creatures might be compatible mates.

According to the story:

"We are going to set up an Internet connection between Indonesia and Apeldoorn so that the apes can see each other and, by means of pressing a button, be able to give one another food, for example," said Anouk Ballot, a spokeswoman for the Apenheul ape park in the central Dutch city of Apeldoorn.

While the Internet can connect people (and apes) in incredible ways, there's a lot that gets left out ... and those subtleties can add up into a huge difference. I wonder if one day these shirts will be made to fit orangutans?

Have your interpersonal Internet connections yielded any horror stories? Success stories? Let me know in the comments, or better still, post the story to your blog and leave a link in my comments.

Tags: orangutan, social networking, monkeys meeting online, online dating

Written by editorjeff76 Blog about this entry

This entry has 3 comments: (Add your own)

#3 Comment from dpoem
8/16/06 6:29 PM | Permalink

I once went out on a date with a girl I'd met online, and in the first fifteen minutes of meeting her, she threw up on my shoes.

However, in her defense, she'd just run a mini-marathon earlier that day. Still, it's kind of hard to overlook that sort of thing. Plus, I really liked those shoes. She was a nice girl though. I just couldn't look at her the same way after that.

-Dan
http://journals.aol.com/dpoem/TheWisdomofaDistractedMind
#2 Comment from rap4143
8/15/06 5:48 PM | Permalink

Anyone think of selling shirts for AOL Journals? I want your photo on my shirt :).
Betty
#1 Comment from dougsbabygirl31
8/15/06 5:01 PM | Permalink

LOL. That is too funny.... Although the one in the pic in the entry is kinda cute.... Tawnya

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'I Like Long Walks in the Jungle'